Don’t Stand in the Shadows of Modesty

I recently received a resume from a credit executive whose summary said the following:

Highly skilled, customer-focused Financial Professional with extensive experience in Risk Management and Corporate Banking. Primary skills include portfolio management and transaction origination and execution for large cap global and mid cap corporate clients. Excellent track record of partnering with clients and senior management to develop and implement complex solutions to customer or internal needs. Expertise in financial analysis, risk assessment and mitigation, structuring and documentation negotiation. Strong team player with diverse background that includes the management of diverse portfolios and the implementation of various corporate finance products in multiple geographies.

Let’s examine some of his phrases, which, by the way, I see ALL the time:

“Highly skilled” – duh, I assume this.

“Customer-focused” – would he be in this business if he was not focused on customers?

Where in this summary does he sell me on his professional value; i.e. what is he positioned to CONTRIBUTE to a future employer? Everything presented here are the generic functions that he’s performed over his extensive career. Yet, I have no idea if/when he has been the fuel that propelled a business. And, since he’s a credit executive, what has he done to mitigate risk and add measurable value to key stakeholders?

It would have been more compelling if he said something like this:

Globally astute credit executive whose career has spanned Big 4 auditing, to raising a global lender’s leadership profile, and harvesting opportunities beyond the risk associated with complex loan transactions for one of the world’s top finance companies. Recognized for finding novel business solutions that accelerate transactions while mitigating risk and enabling record levels of revenue growth to be actualized. Positioned to leverage 20 years experience structuring, marketing and protecting the assets that keep companies in business.

By formulating a message that shines a light on your accomplishments you can step out of the shadows that otherwise dim your value.